It has been a long time since I have been here but it has been a busy year. What with a wedding to plan and an extension to design I don't think I have picked up my camera this summer

Anyway the perfect foil for this year has presented itself as a good friend is getting married in South Africa this coming January. Unfortunately it is term time and so, with a heavy, heavy heart I will have decided to go alone . To make the best of a bad thing I will be taking the camera gear and have three or four days spare between the wedding and my return flights. I'll be kicking around the Hluhluwe and St Lucia area and was wandering if any of the seasoned safari goers here have any advice on where to go and what to do. I have read through quite a few of Melaka's excellent posts so I am beginning to get an idea of what to expect but any more info on that area will be gratefully received.

St Lucia is a good place to stay - lots of B&B, restaurants etc - and it doesn't suffer from the security problems endemic in some other parts of ZA. In 2013 we were warned not to walk into town because a man had been savaged by a hippo a few weeks earlier! Hluhluwe and Umfolozi are both excellent places to visit and easily reached from St Lucia, although there is accommodation in both if you prefer. They're definitely my first choice and you should allow at the very least a day for each. Mkhuse is another possibility. It's not on the same scale as the others and further to drive on rougher roads so very much a second choice. The drive to Cape Vidal is pleasant but we saw very little game. They do a boat trip round the estuary which is good for hippos, crocs and, if you're lucky, fish eagles etc. Honeyguide Publications do a good map book which covers all this and a bit more.

We've just got back from a week in the Kruger (our fifth) and I'm still sorting the photos.

I haven't been to that part of SA, although the closest area I have visited is full of interest if you want a change from game drives: the battlefields area around Spion Kop and Rorke's Drift/iSandlwana. Let me know if some recommendations would be useful for that, which lies around half way by road between Durban and Jo'burg. Absolutely fascinating area for anyone with historical or military interests.

I will definitely visit Hluhluwe and Umfolozi but I think the battlefields are bit of a way away but I will bear them in mind.

I've made the mistake of popping over to the classifieds board and seen the glass that Ian has put up there. They would be perfect for the trip. The money for the extension has just landed in the account . The temptation to misplace some of it is very strong but I expect I wouldn’t live to see the completion of the house.

I used the 40-150/2.8 and 100-400/4-6.3 on my recent trip, both with excellent results. In the past I've had equally good results from the 50-200+ec14. The 90-250/2.8 would be good if you're thinking of hiring or buying. The 300 is a bit specialised unless you like birds and use a teleconverter.

Willom, if you have 4 days available, for the best photography experience you may want to look at Phinda or Zimanga private game reserves. They are close to Hluhluwe/iMfolozi. I have a group of 3 people from my current safari (which I departed from yesterday) visiting Phinda from Thursday for 3 nights. It's a bit more expensive than a self-drive through the government parks, but I assure you, you will have a much better experience photographically speaking.